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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Kedareshvara Temple
| native_name =
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| settlement_type = Hindu temple
| image_skyline = Frontal view of Kedareshvara temple (late 11th century) at Balligavi 1.JPG
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Kedareshvara temple (1070) at [[Balligavi]] in [[Shimoga district]]
| pushpin_map = 
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Karnataka, India
| coordinates =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Karnataka]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Shimoga District]]
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| unit_pref = Metric
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| population_density_km2 = auto
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| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kannada]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
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}}
The '''Kedareshvara''' temple (also spelt '''Kedareshwara''' or '''Kedaresvara''') is located in the town of [[Balligavi]] (known variously in ancient inscriptions as Belagami, Belligave, Ballagamve and Ballipura), near [[Shikaripura]] in the [[Shimoga district]] of [[Karnataka]] state, [[India]]. Dotted with centres of learning (''agrahara''), Balligavi was an important city during the 11th - 12th century [[Western Chalukya Empire|Western Chalukya]] rule. The term ''Anadi Rajadhani'' (ancient capital) used in [[medieval]] [[epigraphy|inscriptions]] to describe this town tells a tale of great antiquity.<ref name="balligavi">{{cite web |url=http://asibengalurucircle.org/shimoga-6.html|title=Kedareshvara Temple|work=Archaeological Survey of India, Bengaluru Circle |publisher=ASI Bengaluru Circle|access-date=16 July 2012}}</ref><ref name="nonmainstream"/> Art historian [[Adam Hardy]] classifies the style involved in the construction of the temple as "'''Later Chalukya''', non mainstream, relatively close to mainstream". He dates the temple to late 11th century, with inscriptional evidence of additions made up to 1131, by the [[Hoysala Empire|Hoysalas]] during their control over the region. The building material used is [[soapstone]]. The [[Archaeological Survey of India]] classifies the style of architecture as distinctly '''Hoysala'''.<ref name="balligavi"/><ref name="nonmainstream">Hardy (1995), p324</ref> The Hoysala ruling family was during this period a powerful feudatory of the imperial [[Western Chalukya Empire]], gaining the trappings of independence only from the period of King [[Vishnuvardhana]] (1108-1152 A.D).<ref name="strong">During the rule of King Vinyaditya (1047–1098), the Hoysalas established themselves as a powerful Chalukya feudatory (Chopra 2003, p151, part 1)</ref><ref name="strong10">Sen (1999), p498</ref><ref name="feudal">Foekema (1996), p14</ref> The temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.<ref name="protected">{{cite web |url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_karnataka_bangalore.asp|title=Alphabetical List of Monuments - Karnataka -Bangalore, Bangalore Circle, Karnataka|work=Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India|publisher=Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts|access-date=14 July 2012}}</ref>

==Deity==
The [[cella]] (''[[garbhagriha]]'') in the shrines to the west and south contain the ''[[Shivalinga]]'' (the universal symbol of the Hindu god [[Shiva]]) and the cella to the north has an image of the god [[Vishnu]].<ref name="balligavi"/> The temple is connected with the legend of demon [[Bali (demon)|Bali]] according to some [[epigraphy|lithic]] records.<ref name="balligavi"/> In its heyday, the temple attracted a large number of followers of the [[Kalamukha]] sect of [[Shaivism]]. A four faced image of the god [[Brahma]], which at one time may have been inside the temple, is on display in a museum within the temple complex.<ref name="balligavi"/>

==Temple plan==
[[File:Kedaresvara temple at Balligavi.JPG|thumb|right|upright|Profile of Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi]]
[[File:Rear view of Kedareshvara temple (late 11th century) at Balligavi.JPG|thumb|right|Rear view of ''trikuta'' (three shrines with three towers) in Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi]]
[[File:Hoysala crest on sukanasi in Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi.JPG|thumb|right|The Hoysala crest (warrior fighting the lion) is a 12th-century addition in Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi]]
The temple is in ''trikuta'' style (three shrined, each with a superstructure or ''[[shikhara]]''<ref name="tri">Foekema (1996), p25</ref>) with the shrines facing east, north and south. The western shrine has a [[vestibule (architecture)|vestibule]] where as the other two shrines have a "half hall" (''ardha[[mantapa]]''). All shrines open up to a six-pillared hall called ''mahamantapa'' which is preceded by a large ornate open "gathering hall" called ''sabhamantapa''.<ref name="balligavi"/><ref name="nonmainstream"/> The layout of the gathering hall is "staggered square" which has the effect of creating projections and recesses. Each projection of the wall has a complete "architectural articulation" (achieved by repetitive decoration).<ref name="recess">Foekema (1996), pp 21-22</ref> The gathering hall has entrances from the north, south and eastern directions.<ref name="balligavi"/>

==Decoration==
The outer walls of the shrines are quite austere save for the [[pilaster]]s that are capped by miniature decorative towers ([[aedicula]]).<ref name="pilaster">Foekema (1996), p28</ref> The superstructures over the shrines are 3-tiered (''tritala arpita'') ''[[vesara]]'' (combination of south and north Indian style) with the sculptural details being repeated in each tier.<ref name="balligavi"/> The temple exhibits other standard features present in a Hoysala style temple: the large decorative domed roof over the tower; the ''[[kalasha]]'' on top of it (the decorative water-pot at the apex of the dome); and the Hoysala crest (emblem of the Hoysala warrior stabbing a lion) over the ''sukhanasi'' (tower over the vestibule). The dome is the largest sculptural piece in the temple with ground surface area of about 2x2 meters and is called the "helmet" or ''amalaka''. Its shape usually follows that of the shrine (square or star shape). The tower over the vestibules of the three shrines appear as low protrusions of the main tower and is hence called the "nose".<ref name="suka">Foekema (1996), p22</ref><ref name="kalasa">Foekema (1996), p27</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|1}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:About_Kedaresvara_temple_at_Balligavi.JPG|About Kedaresvara temple, Balligavi
File:Frontal view of Kedareshvara temple (late 11th century) at Balligavi.JPG|A frontal view displays the staggered square layout of ''mantapa'' (hall) in Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi
File:Ornate ceiling in Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi.JPG|Ornate bay ceiling in Kedaresvhara temple at Balligavi
File:Satigal (sati stone) in Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi.JPG|A [[Sati (practice)|Sati stone]] (''satigal'') with old Kannada inscription of 1206 in Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi
File:Old Kannada inscription in Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi 1.JPG|[[Old Kannada]] inscription (1161) of [[Kalachuris of Kalyani|Southern Kalachuri]] King Bijjala at the Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi
File:Virgal (hero stone) in Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi 3.JPG|[[Hero stone]] (''virgal'') with old Kannada inscription of 1263 from the rule of [[Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri|Yadava]] King Ramachandra in Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi
File:Kirtimukha (gargoyle) sculpture on vesara tower in the Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi.jpg|[[Kirtimukha]] (demon face) on [[shikhara]] (tower) of Kedareshvara temple at Balligavi
File:Chaturmukha (four faces) Brahma at the museum in Kedareshwara temple complex at Balligavi.jpg|''Chaturmukha'' Brahma image at museum on temple premises
File:Sculpture of a multi-hooded Naga at museum in Kedareshvara temple in Balligavi.jpg|''Dev Naga'' (god snake) image at museum on temple premises
File:Zoophilia_carving_on_Rock_with_Old_Kannada_script_engraved_at_Kedareshwara_Temple.JPG|Old Kannada inscription
File:Museum at Kedareshwara Temple, Belligavi.JPG|Museum at Kedareshvara temple premises, Balligavi
</gallery>

==References==
{{commons category}}
*{{cite web |url=http://asibengalurucircle.org/shimoga-6.html|title=Kedaresvara Temple|work=Archaeological Survey of India, Bengaluru Circle|publisher=ASI Bengaluru Circle|access-date=14 July 2012}}
*Adam Hardy, Indian Temple Architecture: Form and Transformation : the Karṇāṭa Drāviḍa Tradition, 7th to 13th Centuries, Abhinav, 1995 {{ISBN|81-7017-312-4}}.
*{{cite web |url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_karnataka_bangalore.asp|title=Alphabetical List of Monuments - Karnataka -Bangalore, Bangalore Circle, Karnataka|work=Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India|publisher=Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts|access-date=12 July 2012}}
*{{cite book |last1= Chopra|first1= P.N.|last2= Ravindran|first2= T.K.|last3=Subrahmanian|first3= N|title= History of South India (Ancient, Medieval and Modern) Part 1|orig-year=2003|year=2003|publisher= Chand Publications|location=New Delhi|isbn= 81-219-0153-7}}
*{{cite book |last= Sen|first= Sailendra Nath |title= Ancient Indian History and Civilization |orig-year=1999|year=1999|publisher= New Age Publishers|isbn=81-224-1198-3}}
*Gerard Foekema, A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples, Abhinav, 1996 {{ISBN|81-7017-345-0}}

{{coord missing|Karnataka}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Shimoga district]]
[[Category:Shiva temples in Karnataka]]
[[Category:Vishnu temples]]

Kedareshvara Temple Balligavi - Revision history

>Monkbot at 11:48, 24 July 2026